Pakistan’s parliament has approved the Virtual Assets Act, 2026, establishing the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) as the country’s official digital asset regulator. The new framework gives the agency authority to license and oversee cryptocurrency service providers while enforcing anti-money-laundering and international sanctions compliance.
Even though the bill requires the signature of President Asif Ali Zardari to become law, it marks a significant shift for Pakistan, which has reversed its opposition to cryptocurrencies in 2024. Officials say the country intends to position itself as a major digital-asset hub. Plans already include a national Bitcoin reserve, the allocation of 2,000 megawatts of electricity for mining and AI data centers, and partnerships exploring stablecoin-based cross-border payments and remittances.
If current momentum continues, industry leaders say Pakistan could emerge as a global center for digital assets by 2030.